Handle assembley



March 1-, 1932. J, KMAN HANDLE ASSEMBLY Filed Sept. 18, 1930 I N VEN TOR.

a/wu/a M A TTORNEY.

JOHN GH/f/(MAN Patented Mar. 1 1932 UNITED TATES JOHN G. HICKMAN, on DETROIT,- MICHIGAN, ASSIGN'OR TOITERNSTEDT mnmimc'run- PATENT OFFICE ING COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN HANDLE ASSEMBLY Application filed September 18, 1930. Serial'No. 482,787.

This invention relates to a handle assembly and more particularly to a handle assembly for an automotive vehicle although it'is understood that the invention may be applied to handle assemblies other than those used on an automotive vehicle. This invention'is concerned with that type of handle assembly wherein a handle having a serrated opening therein for a serrated spindle is arranged to be fastened to the said spindle; It is an object of this invention to provide suitable means for piloting the said handle while it is being assembled to the spindle so that the serrations of the-handle opening will properly engage between the serrations of the spindle.

It is an object of the invention to produce a raised shearing area adjacent the .inner end of theopening in the handle, which shearing area is arranged to be sheared over as the handle is driven onto the splndleto insure a tight and rattle-proof fit of the handle on the spindle. V

Another object of the invention is to provide spaced contact areas between the spindle and the opening therefor in the handle to prevent play between the handle and the spindle.

Since this invention relates. to a handle assembly of the type wherein the handle is secured to a grooved spindle by a suitable U- shaped spring which is carried in a circun1-' ferential groove in the handle and has hooked ends which project through suitable openings into the spindle opening in the handle to engage the spindle in the groove to in turn retain the handle on the spindle, it is an object of the invention to facilitate the assembly of the handle to the spindle by providing suitable beveled surfaces over which the hooked ends of the spring slide during the assembly of the handle to the spindle.

- Inthe drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional viewshowin'g the crank assembledto the spindle.- V P Fig. 2 is a section along the line 2-2, of

*ig. 1. V .r

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of the crank showing the spindle opening.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the crankflooking into the spindle opening.

dle assembly consists properly of the handle crank 1 provided in the outer, end thereof with a suitable, knob 2 that is rotatably mounted on the pin 8 which is fixed to the lower end of the crank. The term crank as used herein, includes any motion transmitting member. adapted to rotate: about an axis whether the motion or torque is transmitted from the member to the axis or vice versa.

The crank is arranged to be secured to a spindle 4: and in non-rotatable relation therewith sothat the driving torque may be conducted through the crank l to the spindle 4.

To this, endthe crank l is provided with anopening 5 having a plurality of serrations 6 which are parallel to each other and to the axis of the spindle opening 5 in the crank 1.

The spindle 4 is likewise provided with a.

plurality of serrations 7 which are parallel to each other and to the axis of the spindle.

The serrations 6 and 7 are arranged to nicely interfit so that eachof the serrations 7 on the spindle 4 fits between each two consecutive serrations6 of the opening 5 in the crank.

In view of the commercial tolerances allowed in the fabrication of the crank and spindle, there is very apt to be a-small play between the serrations which in turn gives a certain amount of lostmotion between the spindle and the crank and more especially permits an in-and-out movement or axial play on the part. of the handle. The invention contemplates the elimination of this movement between the spindle and the crank. To properly understand the means used for eliminating this lost play, the assembly of thespindle to the handle will be explained.

' e To this end thespindlell: is provided, with a circumferential groove 8. The hub 9 of the crank 1 is likewise provided with a circumferential groove 10 which extends a little more than half way around the hub 9. The groove 10 is provided with openings 11 which extend inwardly toward the opening 5 in the crank handle to connect the opening 5 with the groove 10. A suitable U-shaped spring 12 is seated in the opening 10 and has the bent end portions 13 which project through openings 11 into the opening 5. Hence, to secure the crank 1 to the spindle 4, the opening 5 is aligned with the spindle 4 and then the crank is driven toward the spindle until the spring ends 13 snap into the groove 8 of the spindle 4 to fasten the crank to the spindle.

When the crank is being driven onto the spindle 4, it is very essential that the serrations 6 and 7 be properly positionedso that they will interfit. It is readily seen that if a serration 7 be so positioned that it is not accurately aligned with the groove between, and formed by, each two consecutive serrations 6,-then the serrations 6 will distort the serrations 7 and consequently there will'be a large amount of lost play between the crank 1 and the spindle 4. To eliminate this distortion of'the one set of serrations by the other and to insure a proper interfit, it is proposed to project one of the serrations 6 outwardly beyond the others toward the mouthof the opening 5. This elongated serration may be referenced 14. The serration 14 may also be made slightlylarger than the other serrations 6. so that as the crank is driven onto the spindle'the raised and enlarged serration14will'be peened over to in turn cause-a tighter interlocking between the crank and the spindle 4.

I-nass'embling the crank to'the spindle 4 the workmanfirst aligns the opening '5- with the spindle 4 and pushes the crank onto the spindle 4 sufliciently to enable the projecting 7 end 15 of the elongated serration 14 to engage between the serrations f the spindle.

Atthis time the end 15 of the serration serves,

wSincein the assembly of the crank to the spindle the spring'ends 13 must ride over the outer portion of the spindle, it is proposed to circumferential] y bevel the outer edge of the spindle as at 20, the serrations as at '21 and the portion between the groove 8 and the serrations 7 as 'ait'22. This=circumferential bevel serrations are120 apart and likewise each is circumferentially 120 from the serration 14. Hence, as the crank is driven onto the spindle 4, the serrations 24 are engaged by the portion 32 of the spindle 4 beyond the serrations '7 and sheared over to tightly lock this end portion of the spindle 4 in the opening 23. Hence, the shearing of the serrations 24 and 14 at points 120 apart insures a tight rattle-proof fit between the spindle 4 and the-crank 1. The proper alignment of the serrations 6 and 7 and the shearing of the serrations 14 in turn insures against any lost motion between the crank 1 and the spindle 4 in the direction of rotation of the crank because the deformed enlarged serration 14 wedges tightly between the two consecutive .is errations 7 of the spindle between which it its.

If desired, although it is not essential, because of the tight interfit between the spindle 4 and the crank 1, a coil spring 26 may be positioned between the bottom of the opening 23 in the end of the spindle 4. This serves as an anti-rattler in case an unusual or abnorm al force should destroy the tight interfit of the crank 1 and the spindle 4 as above explained.

In the machining of the spindle very often the frustro-conical portion 28 of the spindle 4 has a rough or sheared ed'ge 29. This sheared edgevery often'interferes with the snapping of. the spring hooked ends 13 into the groove 8. Hence, to eliminate thisdefect it is proposed to remove this uneven or sheared edge 29 in any suitable manner to form a smooth, sharp edge as shown at'3O (Fig. 1). Hence, the spring ends 13 are always able to snap into the groove 8.

It will also be noted that the spindle 4 con- 'tacts with the cranlrl at two spaced areas 31 and 32 respectively, that is, the hub portion 9 firmly contacts with the spindle 4 along the circumferential surface 31 and the outer end of the spindle 4 firmly contacts with the crank 1 in the opening 23 along the contact surface 32. This spaced relation of the contact surface 31 and 32 likewise prevents any play betWeenthe crank and the-spindle in a plane perpendicular to the plane of rotation of the crank.

From the above description it is evident that there here produced a handle assembly provided with spaced contact areas hetween the handle and the spindle and spaced 7 shearing areas which insure a tight fit between the handle and the spindle and eliminate lost play in all directions.

When assembling the crank to the spindle 1*, the crank engages the contact area 31 of tie spindle in the outer portion of the opening 5 to properly axially align the opening 5 and spindle 4 before the spindle contact areas 32 ant 31 engage the serrations 2a and 15 respectively to shear the same. The outer peripheral edge of the spindle portion 22 also assists in shearing the enlarged serration 14.

I claim:

1. In a handle assembly or the like, the combination of, a crank having a serrated opening, a serrated spindle arranged to engage the crank in the said serrated opening, and pilot means on one of the said members serving to properly position the serrations on each of the said members during the assembly so that each serration on the one member will properly engage between each two consecutive serrations on the other member.

2. In a handle assembly or the like, the combination of, a crank with an opening therein having a plurality of parallel serrations, a spindle having a plurality of serrations arranged to engage the said crank in the said serrated opening, and pilot means on one of said members arranged to slidably engage between two consecutive serrations on the other member to guide the said members during the assembly of the one to the other so that each serration of the one is properly positioned between two consecutive serrations of the other member.

3. In a handle assembly or the like, the combination of, a crank with a serrated opening therein, a serrated spindle arranged to engage the said crank in the said serrated opening and combined pilot and deformable means for properly positioning the serrations of the one member with respect to the serrations of the other member during the assembly thereof and arranged to be deformed during the assembly thereof to tightly interengage the two members.

a. In a handle assembly or the like, the combination of, a crank having a serrated opening therein, a spindle having a plurality of serrations arranged to engage the crank in the said opening, at least one of the serrations on one of the above members projecting beyond the rest of the serrations-on the said member to serve as a pilot during the assembly of the crank to the said spindle whereby each of the serrations on one of the said members is properly positioned in the groove formed by two consecutive serrations of the other member.

5. In a handle assembly or the like, the combination of a crank having a serrated opening therein, a spindle having a plurality of serrations arranged to engage the crank in the said opening, one of the said members having a serration larger than the rest of the serrations and projecting beyond the same to serve as a pilot to properly position the serrations on the said spindle and in the opening in the said crank as the crank is being assembled to the said spindle, the said enlarged serrationbeing deformed to tightly engage the spindle in the said opening.

6. In a handle assembly or the like, the combination of, a crank having an opening therein,a spindlearranged to engage the crank in the said opening, one of said members having at least one raised surface arranged to be deformed when the said crank and spindle are assembled to tightly interengage the crank and spindle.

7. In a handle assembly or the like, the combination of, a crank having a serrated opening therein, the serrations being spaced from the bottom of the said opening, a spindle arranged to engage the crank in the said serrated opening and having a serrated portion spaced from the end of the said spindle, and a raised surface arranged to be deformed between the portion of the opening between the bottom and the serrations and the portion of the spindle between the end thereof and the serrations whereby the serrated spindle tightly interengages Y the crank in the serrated opening. 7

8. In a handle assembly or the like, the combination of, a crank having a serrated opening therein, a serrated spindle arranged to engage the crank in the said opening, a raised deformable surface in front of and to the rear of the serrations on one of said members arranged to be deformed during the assembly of the crank to the spindle to tightly interengage the said serrated spindle and crank. In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JOHN G. HIGKMAN. 

